Marks of a Genuine Leader

Andrea Dawn E. Boycillo

A leader is someone who guides and shows the way for others. They are the ones capable of aspiring, persuading, influencing, and motivating people in need. Leaders create visions for others and help them in achieving it.

Student leaders play a vital role in their school’s betterment, and because of that, people need to choose them wisely.

Student elections are coming up for most universities. Campaigns and endorsements will bombard campuses. There are those who have been fooled by these, only to make the voter regret their decision later on. There are also those who remain undecided, making their vote go to waste.

To prevent these things from happening, one must know what they are looking for in a leader. Here are several characteristics a leader must have to help the voters in choosing wisely:

People and Service Oriented. To be an effective leader, one must be sociable. No interaction with the people is ineffective. The leader must be willing to give their time to the people. In this way, they also respond to the people’s needs with consideration of the consequences. Talking to the people also shows compassion, and will inspire them more. A leader who interacts shows the people that he or she is not superior and that they are all equal.

Accountable. A good leader must be willing to be held reliable for all their actions, especially when something goes wrong. Denying mistakes makes the leader a coward. Upon making decisions, they must be wise enough to know that the consequences are on their hands. Leaders must also recognize that they are accountable to the law, and that breaking it would not make them a good example to the people.

Open and Transparent. The foundation of every relationship, including a leader’s and the people, is honesty. People want to know their leaders and their true colors. In line with that, a good leader must promote public information. They must speak the truth about every situation, regardless of the negative feedback they may get. After all, if there’s something everyone deserves, it’s the truth. Leaders must be willing to give the exact facts of the university’s current situation for the people to see them as someone transparent, vocal, and open to the public.

Responsive. A leader must be perceptive in knowing the needs of the people. Building a strong community will be easier if the leader knows the values and goals of the people, as well as what they need from the leader themselves. The leader must have the initiative to respond to the citizens’ needs and must be quick in giving solutions. They must be patient with the students’ complaints and immediately look for ways to deal with them. In short, the leader must be quick to act.

Equitable. A leader must not play favoritism. They must provide for all and make no one go unnoticed. Upon enacting their plans, they must ensure that everyone can equally benefit from them. They must not take bias with gender, age, or status, and must look at people equally. In making decisions, leaders must make sure that everyone is affected in a good way.

Moral. Good values equal good leaders. In order to persuade people, a leader must have integrity. Without it, they may not be trusted. The leader must be able to differentiate what is right and wrong for the betterment of the country. Instead of aiming for followers, leaders must aim to serve. Moral leaders also know how to manage themselves, how to lower their egos, and act with nobility and righteousness.

Consistent. A genuine leader must ensure that all their programs and services have desired results and outcomes. In order to attain that, the leader must be consistent. They make sure that projects are well-implemented for them not to be a failure. The leader also foresees the possible outcome and thinks of solutions if anything unexpected occurs. In other words, they must not stop until they achieve their goal. In being consistent, the leader must also envision what success looks like and know how to attain it. They must also evaluate the current situation and make improvements.

Those are just a few of the many qualities one must have as a leader. Choose your leader wisely and do not settle for less. Study each candidate before you vote or suffer for the wrong decision. The choice is yours.

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CAMPUS JOURNALISM EXCELLENCE AWARD: Diorson Baseleres, youngest son of Dr. Rosario M. Baseleres and the late Dionisio T. Baseleres, together with College of Mass Communication OIC-Dean Melita C. Aguilar (left) and Vice President for Development Jane Annette L. Belarmino at the launching of the Dionisio T. Baseleres Award for Excellence in Campus Journalism last Feb. 22.PHOTO BY Hannah Bengco

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the Weekly Sillimanian, also known as tWS, is the official weekly student publication of Silliman University, a private Christian university in Dumaguete City, Philippines. Its origin dates back to as early as 1903. Today, the paper is one of only four campus publications in the country that publishes on a weekly basis.